The Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea is going to be an unusual event. Held from February 9th until the 25th, the games will bring together teams from around the world - including a unified Korean team - to compete at the pinnacle of winter sports. But it's not just those from snow-capped countries that are coming to compete. Meet the women representing their tropical nations at the Winter Olympics this year.
Nigeria
Team mates Seun Adigun, Ngozi Onwumere, and Akuoma Omega made headlines around the world when they qualified for the Winter Olympics. The first African team to ever compete in bobsled, the team will take to the track next month after just over a year as a team. What started with a crowdfunding campaign has already resulted in them making history. They slayed in an ad for Beats, and even Serena Williams is a fan.
This video literally gave me chills, I am so excited to watch Nigeria compete in the winter Olympics bobsledding race the first time an African country has ever competed in bobsledding! ✊🏿@beatsbydre #abovethenoise pic.twitter.com/zLDPLJfcIQ
— Serena Williams (@serenawilliams) January 19, 2018
Jamaica
Jamaica, we have a women’s bobsled team! Big shout out to #WinterOlympics qualifiers Carrie Russel, Jazmine Fenlator and Audra Segree of #TeamJamaica 🇯🇲 in honour of #WomensMarch2018. #WiInnaEveryting #PyeongChang2018
— Team Jamaica (@JamaicaOlympics) January 21, 2018
(📸 @Jambobsled) pic.twitter.com/yRiC2kVRsc
Jamaica's men's bobsled team famously first competed at the 1988 Winter Olympics in Calgary, Alberta in Canada. This time though, it is the women's turn. Bringing back the spirit of '88, the women will represent Jamaica's first ever female bobsled team to qualify. Audra Segree and Jazmine Fenlator-Victorian, who represented the US in the same sport at Sochi 2014, will (wo)man a two-person bobsled for the island nation.
Kenya
The 19-year-old professional skier Sabrina Simader will take to the slopes in Korea next month, representing Kenya in alpine skiing. She picked up the sport while living in Austria, and also represented Kenya in alpine skiing at the Winter Youth Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway in 2016.
Togo
Last but certainly not least, the tiny West African nation of Togo has secured some representation at the Winter Olympics. Togo will send two women to represent the country in PyeongChang, Alessia Afi Dipol in alpine skiing, and Mathilde-Amivi Petitjean.
Inspiring, right? Show them how it's done ladies!
Will you be tuning into the Winter Olympics? Who are you rooting for to take home the gold?
Let us know in the comments below and give us a shout on Twitter to keep this convo going!
Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube too for more culture, fashion, and news about the things you care about.